Ella Jackson is an ordinary teenage girl whose father just happens to be a rich and famous film director. Her life must be awesome, right? Not exactly. Her father is always working and her stepmother and two step sisters basically live to make Ella miserable. Life sucks, until Ella meets Julian. But, instead of falling in love with him, she finds herself falling in love with the hottest boy at school…her step sister’s boyfriend. In a remarkable coming of age story written by a real teenager, If You Wish confronts bullying, drug abuse, and LGBT rights in a story that is anything but a fairy tale.

Usually fairy tales start off once upon a time, blah, blah, blah. I guess I could start off my story that way, but then the story wouldn’t be right. The truth is, I’m not a princess. And this really isn’t a fairy tale. There is no magic fairy godmother who goes around turning poor girls into princesses and pumpkins into carriages. So if you want that kind of story I suggest you read something else. This story is going to be about me, Ella. Just plain old boring me. I’m just a normal 16-year-old girl. I’m not special or different in any way at all. That is, I never thought I was special, until I met Julian. But he comes in later. You’ll have to start from the beginning. So go on. If you wish…

Cassandra Sage Briskman is a 16 year old YA author, who splits her time between Los Angeles, California and Brooklyn, NY. If You Wish is her debut novel.

Monday, November 7, 2016

Tanzy Hightower is not crazy. At least that’s what she tells herself. She also tells herself that the shadows in the woods aren’t living, murderous beings. Only one of these things can be true. On the third anniversary of her father’s death, Tanzy revisits the woods and the shadows that took him. She quickly realizes they now have their sights set on her. Neither Tanzy nor life as she knows it escapes them unchanged.

Two strangers seem too willing to help her navigate her new reality: Vanessa Andrews, a doctor’s trophy wife with a southern drawl and a history Tanzy can appreciate, and Lucas, a quiet, scarred man with timing that borders on either perfect or suspect. But Tanzy has secrets of her own. Desperate for answers and revenge, Tanzy must put her faith in their hands as her past comes calling, and the shadows close in.

Will her choices shed light on the shadows of her past, or will they bring forth the darkness within her?

Amanda grew up in an impoverished ex-steel town where she endured a lonely and ostracized childhood. Bullied at school she becomes a withdrawn teenager who at sixteen meets her `twin flame` while working in a humble social club. The two quickly embark upon a passionate affair though the relationship is ill-fated from the outset, and Amanda eventually marries someone else.

For nineteen years they live separate lives, until one harrowing day in 2001 Amanda learns via telepathic messages that Simon has died. This activates an astonishing onslaught of paranormal activity which will ultimately change the course of Mesopotamian, Egyptian and Biblical history. With the revelation of a monumental conspiracy, this story brings truth and hope to a troubled world through a universal language that transcends all faiths and all cultures. Journey the road together, awaken to life`s synchronicities and grow in wisdom.

October moon casts a pool of suffused silver light onto my pillow as I wait with bated breath, bathing in its ethereal glow.

Presently the waiting is over. The room fills with his essence and a voice breaks through the ether.

`Let me look at you! `

I readily comply, tingling from head to toe as he skims purposefully over my limbs, clothing them in a sheath of living fabric.

There is no movement in the darkness thick like treacle. The temperature drops like a stone, yet warmth ignites my wanton spirit till smouldering flames dance through my spine.

I drift with each new breath upon another. Not a single part unaffected by the pure filtered love that permeates every pore.

A gentle tease of my lips and they awaken to that human hair sensation, delicate and soft. All the while I chase it, flicking the tip of my tongue back and forth as my heart skips and flutters to the dissonant sound of a lone branch rapping at my window.

My hand slips impatiently through the deep velvet black. He finally allows me to touch him. I caress the invisible; a flimsy cobweb on my fingertips to tantalize and tickle.

The curtain wafts to a midnight draft from the window. Shadows bobble and bounce around the room: trees waving, a headlamp flashing.

The echo of a taxi door slams in the street while raised voices and clacking high heel shoes break the stillness. And yet there is a moment strong and silent, a moment of divine gratification; a place he calls absolute, complete paradise, right here right now.

If only the moon would shine forever. If only time could be suspended.

“Please don`t leave me!” I beg with a whisper. “I`m scared you`ll be gone when I wake.”

My eyes grow heavy yet I fear to close them, suppressing tiredness for several more hours totally immersed in his love before I finally succumb to the restraints of my inferior body.

“I love you.” He whispers. “Now sleep!”

I was born in Northamptonshire in 1964 where I still reside today. I consider myself to be an ordinary person who`s experienced some extraordinary events. A home loving humanitarian at heart with a passion for fairness, equality, and creating a better world.

When I`m not writing I love spending time outdoors communing with nature and observing the wildlife; those inspired moments watching Autumn leaves in lowering sunlight while the birds squabble over their tea, and I munch through several large chunks of dark chocolate washed down with a hot mug of tea. I`m attracted to people from all walks of life who are kind, thoughtful and honest. I enjoy shopping trips and watching TV dramas, including Bates Motel, Downton Abbey and Mr Selfridge, but mostly I love Poldark…. (Well who doesn`t?) Favourite places for a return visit would include Egypt`s Temple of Karnak, (probably the most peaceful place on earth!) The Cairo museum and Italy`s Amalfi coast. I`m also partial to a bracing boat trip across Lake Windermere on route to the little town of Bowness.

Blurb: Witty and blunt blogger, Brynn Harper, has a knack for incredible sex. As a graduate student studying to be a sex therapist, Brynn’s heard her fair share of intimate horror stories. Starting an anonymous blog offering naughty advice changes her life. When a competitor tries to "out-blog" her with equally risqué posts from a male perspective, Brynn vows to shut him down.

But as she gets to know the mystery man on the other side of the keyboard, her interest piques. Smart and funny, the man might be able to charm her pants off—if she ever meets him in person. Brynn’s not interested in relationships though, which is exactly what she keeps telling sexy, confident, and persistent law student, Cade Brett, her walking fantasy with a fondness for handcuffs. She can’t get him out of her mind, but he won’t give her what she wants—unless she agrees to date him first.

Torn between the alpha mystery man, and the infuriatingly enticing Cade, commitment-phobic Brynn is in over her head. But one of them could be the love of her life if Brynn can relinquish control and give in to her heart.

Angela Corbett graduated from Westminster College and previously worked as a journalist, freelance writer, and director of communications and marketing. She lives in Utah with her extremely supportive husband, and loves classic cars, traveling, and chasing their Pomeranian, Pippin—who is just as mischievous as his hobbit namesake. She’s the author of Young Adult, New Adult, and Adult fiction—with lots of kissing. She writes under two names, Angela Corbett, and Destiny Ford.

After a fight with her abusive ex-boyfriend leaves her in the hospital once again, she knows it’s time for a change. Just out of college, Sydney decides to accept a position as a live-in nurse. But leaving the comfort of Atlanta and the support of her small circle of friends is hard to do. And when she meets her ailing, stubborn client, Sydney second guesses all of her choices.

A southern family with a social status to maintain, the McNamara’s think very little of Sydney, especially since she reminds Mrs. McNamara so much of the daughter-in-law she never accepted. But when Sydney encounters Quinn, the defiant grandson, her views of the family begin to change. And her heart begins to heal the hole left behind by the abuse.

Sydney and Quinn may have little time together, but they make the most out of it. A public display of their relationship is short-lived when Sydney learns just how far her client will go to save her family’s namesake. And when Sydney’s past suddenly rips into her new world, her happiness with Quinn threatens to come to an end.

But truth and friendship will help Sydney finally live the life she’s chosen while loving the one she chose.

Amber Garr spends her days as a scientist and nights writing about other worlds. Her childhood imaginary friend was a witch, Halloween is sacred, and she is certain she has a supernatural sense of smell. Amber is a multiple Royal Palm Literary Award winner, author of the bestselling The Syrenka Series, The Leila Marx Novels, the award-winning The Water Crisis Chronicles, and the Death Warden Series. When not obsessing over the unknown, she can be found dancing, reading, or enjoying a good movie.

The music changed to something fast. Way too fast. The dancer in me watched the feet of the couples who obviously knew what they were doing. Two forward steps, two back, and then one, one, merengue. Okay, got it.

Quinn’s hand rested comfortably against my lower back, his fingers spreading wide enough to graze the top of my behind and hit the open back of my dress. Shivers trickled over my skin despite my sharp focus on the dance floor.

“You ready?” Quinn’s hot breath against my ear melted my insides. That was it. I was pure mush for this guy I hardly knew. Might as well enjoy it.

“Are you a good dancer?” I lifted my cheek toward his lips so that he could see the side of my face. A wave of boldness ripped over my bones. I was young. Single. Quinn was gorgeous, smart, and savvy. We could have a lot of fun together.

“So I’ve been told.” His lips brushed my face as he repeated the same words I’d heard in the garden.

With a smile and a new-found sense of confidence, I channeled my inner-Cass and pulled Quinn onto the dance floor. I heard him laughing behind me as we weaved in and out of the gyrating bodies. In just a few strides, Quinn had wrapped both hands around my hips, guiding us to an empty spot. If I was being honest with myself, I may have pushed back against him a little more than necessary, enjoying the hardness of his abs and the slightly possessive way he held on to me.

Once we found a space large enough for the two of us, I turned and wrapped my arms over his shoulders. His height required me to reach higher than I would have normally been able to, so I was extremely grateful for the high heels.

“Let’s do this,” Quinn said. With a quick snap of his hands, he yanked me even closer to him and began moving his hips. I stared into his eyes, feeling lost in an ocean of teals and turquoise. The beat soared through me, my hips lining up perfectly with his as we swayed.

At first, we didn’t move our feet, just enjoyed the feeling of each other’s bodies against each other. Quinn leaned forward far enough to rest his forehead against mine, neither of us taking our eyes off each other. The move was so…intimate, so personal, I couldn’t believe I hadn’t pulled away yet. Perhaps it was from the two shots of tequila and half a vodka martini. Or maybe it was because Quinn had this instant ability to make me feel safe and secure when I’d always experienced fear before.

As the beat got louder and the music began to ramp up for the final chorus, Quinn smiled down at me. “Okay, let’s go.”

Without another warning, he pulled me around the floor, blending with the rest of the couples. I worked on my foot placement, being careful to let him lead and not step on his feet at the same time. The music pulsed around me like a veil, blocking out all of my insecurities and allowing me to get lost in the moment. In no time at all, we were laughing and smiling and rubbing against each other in a way that might even make Cass blush.

Ring in the holiday season with 17 all-new, stand-alone stories from New York Times, USA Today, national bestselling, and award-winning authors. Sweet Christmas Kisses 3 takes you around the globe from small-town USA, to London, England, and even to Africa. Don't miss out on this sweet romance boxed set that's sure to touch your heart, make you smile, and put you in the mood for Christmas.

Mona Risk, On Christmas Eve

She banished him from her life and dreams. But fate throws him in her path again and his tender gaze erases years of loneliness. Can they forgive each other and create a new future?

*

Christine Bush, Christmas Holly

Can a lonely single father of five-year-old triplets find love on a South Carolina beach? It might just take a Christmas miracle!

*

Lyn Cote, Mistletoe and Sage

New deputy in town, a single mom, two wounded hearts with a puzzle to solve together--will love spark under the mistletoe?

Blurb:Caffeine wasn't the only thing that drew him to the coffee shop,

He needed his daily fix of The Coffee Girl...

On the eve of her thirtieth birthday, Brenna Smith has a few goals in mind:

* Introduce herself to the hunky construction guy she runs into every morning at the coffee shop.

* Give her detestable boss a piece of her mind right before she quits.

* Open a bistro.

* Find the man who haunts her dreams.

Handsome and charming Brock McCrae owns a successful construction company and enjoys time spent with friends. However, he still has a few items on his to-do list:

*Find a place to call home.

*Get a dog.

*Work up the courage to ask the quirky woman he knows only as the Coffee Girl out on a date.

Will the two of them connect over more than a cup of java?

USA Today Bestselling Author Shanna Hatfield writes character-driven romances with relatable heroes and heroines. Her historical westerns have been described as “reminiscent of the era captured by Bonanza and The Virginian” while her contemporary works have been called “laugh-out-loud funny, and a little heart-pumping sexy without being explicit in any way.”

Convinced everyone deserves a happy ending, this hopeless romantic is out to make it happen one story at a time. When she isn’t writing or indulging in chocolate (dark and decadent, please), Shanna hangs out with her husband, lovingly known as Captain Cavedweller.

Shanna is a member of Western Writers of America, Women Writing the West, Romance Writers of America, Sweet Romance Reads, Cowboy Kisses, and Pioneer Hearts.

“I met a guy,” Brenna blurted out before she could reel the words back in. It would be less damaging to both her psyche and her ears to tell Kathleen about the bistro rather than the fact she had met a man. As Kathleen’s scream of excitement ripped through the office, Brenna ran to the door and yelled into the hall, “Spider!” She stomped her feet a few times. “We got it!”

Swiftly shutting her door, she shook her head at her friend as she sat back down at her desk.

“Control yourself or you’ll have half the office in here,” Brenna cautioned, leaning back in her desk chair, rocking it back and forth.

“Details, details!” Kathleen waved a frantic hand at Brenna.

“He gets coffee at the same shop I do off the freeway. A couple of weeks ago, he bought me a Chai latte and handed it to me with a smile. That very night, I got a flat tire on the way home and he stopped and fixed it for me. I offered to buy him a cup of coffee and we ended up at a little diner and had dinner together.”

“That is so cool.” Excitement filled Kathleen’s voice and face as she looked at Brenna. “So what’s his name? Where does he work?”

“I don’t know.” Brenna nervously shuffled papers on her desk.

“What do you mean you don’t know? You had dinner together for goodness sake,” Kathleen’s voice climbed in pitch. Brenna shushed her.

“He said it removed all the mystery if you learned everything about a person all at once. He told me that the next time we met, he’d ask my name then.”

“That is incredibly romantic.” Kathleen’s eyes held a dreamy look. The woman could find romance in a brown paper bag given enough time and encouragement.

“It was,” Brenna agreed, her face softening as she thought of the mysterious construction guy. “He walked me to my car and right before he left, he kissed me.”